Voting-machine.



No. 63|,25l. Patented Aug, 15, I899.

0. A. GATRELL. VOTING momma.

(Application filed Och. 17, 1898.) No Mode!.) 6 Sheets-Sheet .3 1; a 1 f2 WLMWQMQ/ 20 75 I 4X a'm mm Lo'z yaw l No. 63l,25|. Patented Aug. 15,I899. 0. A. GATRELL.

VOTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Oct. 1'7, 1898.) N0 Modal.) 6 Shady-Sheet 2.

j v I m: mums PEYEROO., mom-umu, msmumcnu D c.

Patented Aug. l5, I899.

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 4/ //A r i gwvewto-z 0. A. GATRELL.

VOTING MACHINE.

(Application med Oct. 17, 1898 v i a N0. 63I,25l.

(No Model.)

m 63!,25I. Patented Aug. 15, I899.

0. A. GATRELL.

VOTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Oct. 17, 1898.) (No Model 6 Sheets-Sheet '5.

1mm WM. z: 2 fl/m 4 No. 63l,25l. r Patented Aug. I5, I899. 0. A.GATRELL.

VOTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Oct. 17, 1898.) (No Model.) 6 Silents-Sheet 6,

UNITED STATES I PATENT OEEIcE.

OTTMAR A. GATREL'L, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO EMILY M.

INGOLD, OF SAME PLACE.

VOTING-MACHINE.

srncrrrcmxori forming pal-t of Letters Patent no. 631,251, dated August15', 1899. Application filed October 17, 1898. Serial No. 693,760. (Nomodel.)

To (ZZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, OTTMAR A. GATRELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at C0- lumbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Voting-Machines;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine in which theso-called Australian system of voting may be practiced.

For this purpose my inventioncontemplates arranging a series ofpush-keys in vertical and horizontal rows, the keys of the vertical rowsbeing intended for the various nominees of the several politicalparties, and the provision of means whereby a voter may vote a straightticket or a mixed or scratched ticket, but if he votes one sortprecluding him from voting the other sort.

My invention also contemplates the provision of means whereby the numberof votes received by each nominee is registered and may be readilyascertained after the polls are closed.

It further "contemplates the provision of means whereby in the eventthere are a number of nominees for the same office from whom a numberfewer than the whole number may or must be selected such fewer numbermay be voted for to the exclusion of the others and yet a straightticket voted.

My invention further contemplates the provision of means for enablingthe voter to vote for a person whose name is not on any of the regulartickets.

My invention also contemplates other details, all of which arehereinafter particularly set forth.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the casing,the interior parts being illustrated partially in side elevation andpartially in section. Fig. 2 is a front view, parts being broken out toillustrate the registering devices. Fig. 3 is a rear view, the casingbeing broken out to illustrate an arrangement of the apparatus in thatpart of the machine, the mechanism in the front part being omitted forthe sake of clearness. Figs. 4 and 5 are side and front views ofappliances adapted for use where the name of a separately-selectednominee is to be written by the voter, the casing being broken out. Fig.6 is an end view of a key, showing its relation to the straight ticketand resetting bars. Fig. 7 is a front View of the machine, showing thearrangement of the keys. Fig. 8 is a detail view showing the devices forlook ing all the remaining keys of the same horizontal row in the lockedposition after one of the keys has been operated. Fig. 9 is a detailview showing one of the keys rotated so as to remain inoperative, thelocking devices 6 being omitted. Fig. 10 is a view showing the paperused in the device for voting for a separately-selected nominee.

In the machine shown, 1 designates the frame or casing, and 1 ahorizontal partition in the upper part thereof.

2 are keys arranged horizontally in the proper number in horizontal andvertical rows, so that their rounded shanks project through and theirheads or finger-pieces stand beyond the face of the casing. A spring isplaced on the protruding shank of the key. The key-bar or that portionof the key within the casing is made with two notches 2 and 2 in itsupper edge. The extreme inner end of the key is rounded, as shown at 2,and is supported and is capable of sliding longitudinallyas well asbeing turned axiallyin a bearing in a bar or support 3, extending,preferably, between the sides of the casing. Arranged horizontally overthe inner ends of each horizontal row of keys is a rotatable shaft 4,upon which is fixed for each key an arm 5, that normally rests againstthe end of the key and arranged loosely so as to rotate by the action ofgravity. On the shaft, between the collar of the arms 5, is a dog ordetent (5, the free end of which is adapted toenter one or the other ofthe notches 2 and 2 to lock the key-bar from horizontal movement. Thearm 5 has a shoulder 5, and the key-detent (3 has a correspondingshoulder 6", that abuts against the shoulder 5 when the arm 5 is downagainst the end of the key-bar in its outer or voting position, as shownin Fig. 1, and the detent is held out of the innor notch 2, but inposition to drop into the same if the arm 5 is lifted by the inward lpushing of some other key on the shaft 4. If, however, the arm 5 islifted by the pushing in of the immediate key, the detent 6 drops intothe outer notch 2. From this it will be observed that all the keys inthe same horizontal row are locked in their outer position except thatpushed in, which latter is locked assoona-sitreachesitsinnerposition.Oneof the arms 5 on each shaft 4; is furnished with a rod 7, having atits upper end an indicator '7, marked with a number, which when liftedin the voting process will be exhibited through a glazed opening 1 toindicate to the judges of election that the voter has voted for some onenominee (but not which) for the ot'fice for which the exhibited numberstands.

Each of the key-bars is furnished with a laterally-proj ecting pin 2,all on the same side and all standing in the same vertical plane, andarranged in front of these is a bar 8, preferably support-ed atits upperand lower ends upon antifriction-rollers, the upper ones resting on thepartition 1 and the lowerone upon a short guiding-track 1. This bar hasattached to it cords or straps 8, that pass under rollers 9 on astationary shaft 9 to another bar 10, and supported upon a fixed shaft11 in the upper part of the casing is a rocking lever 12, the inner endof which is attached to the upper end of the aforesaid bar 10 and theouter end of which projects beyond the casing, where it is provided witha handle 12, by means of which the outer end of the lever is pulled downand the inner end up, thus lifting the bar 10 and drawing in ward thebar 8, and consequently all the keys in the corresponding row.

Each of the keys is furnished with registering mechanism. That showncomprises two drums 13 and 14, mounted movably upon a fixedhorizontally-arranged shaft 15 and intermediate drum 16 on a parallelshaft 17 for carrying the count from the faster to the slower drum. Thefaster drum 13 is furnished with a ratchet 13 to be engaged by aspring-pawl 2 on the push-key 2 and a pin 13* to strike once in eachrevolution and move a toothed wheel 16 on the drum 16. The drum 16 hasfixed to it agear 16 that meshes with a gear 14, fixed to drum l t. Thusthe numbers upon the drum 13 may be multiplied upon the drum 1e and thetotal number of impulses given to the wheel 18 (in other words, thetotal number of votes) ascertained through slots in the face of themachine. The numbering of the registering-wheels is arbitrary; but inthe instance shown the wheel 13 is numbered from 0 to 29 and the wheel14: in multiples of thirty. The ticket containing the names of thenominees to be voted for is secured in ways 1, so as to exclude from thevoter a view of the count.

lVhen there are several nominees for a corresponding ofiice and thevoter must make choice of fewer than the whole number, each of the keysof those for whom he does not wish to vote may in the machine as shownbe turned to the left without inward movement until the pin 2 on thekey-bar comes into contact with the pin 18 on the adjacent vertical bar18 of the resetting-frame, andin this position the straight-ticket bar 8will when operated pass the pin 2, and henee'fail to operate theregister of such key or keys. It will be observed that if a voter pushin a single key he is precluded from subsequently voting by oneoperation a straight ticket other than that to which the key pushed inbelongs, because the pushing in of any key in any horizontal row locksin their outer position all the remaining keys in that row and the pins2 of those keys will prevent the operation of any of the straight-ticketbars except that in the vertical row in which the operated key stands.

The resetting-frame is composed of vertical bars 18, one for eachvertical row of keys, and small horizontal rods or pins 18, extendingunder the detents 6, so that when the frame is lifted by the pulling ofthe cord 10 all the detents are lifted, allowing the arms 5 to drop andthe keybars 2 under the action of their springs to resume their outer orvoting position. .When the resetting-frame is lifted, the pin 2 of suchkeys as have been turned on their axes are also lifted by the pin 18"(see Fig. 9) and the key reset in proper position axially.

To provide for voting for a person whose name is not printed on theticket, I employ in place of the registering device two spools, one ofthe heads of the lower one being ratched, (see Figs. 4 and 5,) so thatitmay be operated by a spring-pawl in the key similar to that heretoforedesignated 2. The upper spool contains a roll of paper 10, which ispassed over a plate 20, behind an opening in the face of the casing, andunder a small friction-roller 21, after which it is attached to theshaft of the lower spool. The paper is preferably printed with blackbars, as shown in Fig. 10, which bars are to stand in front of theopenings when the key is in its outer or voting position, and it shallhe incumbent upon the voter to push in a key previous to writing thename of his nominee,- thus locking the remainingkeys. \Vhen the machineis reset by the operation of the bar 18, the retraction of the key underthe action of its spring further rolls up the strip through the actionof a pawl 2 on the keybar 2, so as to bring the printed black baropposite the opening.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a voting-n1achine, the combination of a series of push-key barsarranged in rows and having notches or stops 2 and 2, a rockshaft 4:,arms 5 fixed on said shaft arranged to be operated by said key-bars,detents 6 loose on said shaft and arranged to engage one or the other ofsaid notches or stops 2 and 2, shoulders to hold said detents disengagedfrom the notches 2 and 2 until a key operates one of the arms 5,substantially as described.

2. In a voting-machine, the combination of push-key bars arranged inseveral rows, said key-bars having notches or stops 2 and 2 a rock-shafta foreach of said rows, arms 5 fixed on said shaft arranged to beoperated by said key-bars, detents 6 loose on said shafts land arrangedto engage one or the other of said notches or stops 2 and 2 in thekey-bars, shoulders to hold said detents disengaged from said notches orstops 2 and 2 until a key operates one or the other of the arms 5, andan indicator 7 for each of said shafts et arranged to be operated uponthe operation of the arms 5 on the shaft, substantially as described.

3. In a voting-machine, the combination of push-key bars arranged inseveral rows, said key-bars having notches or stops 2 and 2 and pins 2,rock-shaft 4 for each of said rows, arms 5 fixed on said shaft arrangedto be operated by said key-bars, detents G loose on said shaft l, andarranged to engage one or the other of said notches or stops 2 and 2shoulders to hold said detents disengaged from said notches or stops 2and 2 until a key operates one of the arms 5, a bar 8 arranged to engagethe pins Won the push-keys in a row transverse to the rows originallyre- 1 ferred to, and means for operating said bar, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a voting-machine, apush-key bar with means for looking it in itsinner or outer position, a spool containing a paper-roll withalternately dark and light portions and means substantially as describedfor moving said spool or paper-roll in the same direction upon both theinward and outward movement of the push-key bar,

5. In a voting-machine, a series of keys arranged in vertical andhorizontal rows, means for simultaneously operating all the keys in anyvertical row any of said keys being adapted to be rendered inoperativeat will, sub stantially as described.

6. In a voting-machine, a series of keys ar ran god in horizontal andvertical rows, means for simultaneously operating all the keys in avertical row, some or all of said keys being adapted to be renderedinoperative at will, and means for automatically restoring said keys tooperative position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OTTMAR A. GATRELL.

\Vitnesses:

O. E. JUSTICE, GEORGE M. FINoKnL.

